sue

verb

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\ ˈsü

sued; suing

Definition of sue

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to seek justice or right from (a person) by legal process specifically : to bring an action against

b : to proceed with and follow up (a legal action) to proper termination

2 archaic : to pay court or suit to : woo

3 obsolete : to make petition to or for

intransitive verb

1 : to take legal proceedings in court

2 : to make a request or application : plead —usually used with for or tosue for peace

3 : to pay court : woo he loved … but sued in vain— William Wordsworth

Sue

biographical name

\ ˈsü

, ˈsᵫ\

Definition of Sue (Entry 2 of 2)

Eugène 1804–1857 originally Marie-Joseph Sue French novelist

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Examples of sue in a Sentence

Verb Some people sue over the most minor things. People injured in accidents caused by the defective tire have threatened to sue. They've threatened to sue the company. He is suing the doctor who performed the unnecessary surgery.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The state of Alaska has sued the Alaska State Employees Association to block the automatic collection of union dues from unionized state employees, citing the need to protect employees’ First Amendment rights. — James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska sues union to block automatic collection of dues," 17 Sep. 2019 Carlsbad Medical Center in New Mexico has sued more than 3,000 patients over 10 years. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, "Hospitals are some of America's toughest debt collectors," 17 Sep. 2019 One group of 10 homeowners from lakes McQueeney and Placid and another group of nearly 300 area property owners have sued the GBRA. — Josh Baugh, ExpressNews.com, "No ‘Big Drain’ yet for the Guadalupe River lakes," 16 Sep. 2019 For example, Klemko interviewed attorney Michael Daniel Kolodzi, whose client, speed trainer Sean Pena, has sued Brown for alleged unpaid wages. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "The Legal Impact of the Newest Accusations Against Antonio Brown," 16 Sep. 2019 The mother of a Corvallis teen who died on a camping trip last year has sued Boy Scouts of America for $10 million. — oregonlive, "Mother of Corvallis teen who died on Boy Scouts trip sues for $10 million," 16 Sep. 2019 Decorated Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder in a war crimes trial this past July, has sued two of his former lawyers and a military legal defense nonprofit, according to court documents filed in Texas Friday. — Fox News, "Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher sues his ex-lawyers, military nonprofit," 15 Sep. 2019 Several Trump fans have sued the city for not providing adequate police protection, and the case is still working its way through the courts. — Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, "‘Very cloak-and-dagger’: Secrecy surrounds Trump’s Bay Area trip for fundraiser Tuesday," 15 Sep. 2019 Finch’s family has sued the city of Wichita and the officers involved. — Cincinnati.com, "North College Hill gamer sentenced to 15 months prison in ‘swatting’ case," 15 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for sue

Last Updated

22 Oct 2019

Time Traveler for sue

The first known use of sue was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for sue

sue

verb

English Language Learners Definition of sue

: to use a legal process by which you try to get a court of law to force a person, company, or organization that has treated you unfairly or hurt you in some way to give you something or to do something : to bring a lawsuit against someone or something

See the full definition for sue in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sue

verb

\ ˈsü

sued; suing